To Reach You
by Team Dai-Gurren
Summary: In her eyes, he was her rival. In his, she was his everything. With their kingdoms about to engage in war, the two were separated. But after years of fighting, peace could finally come to the country- if the two heirs were to wed. Minato is the last person Kushina would willingly accept, but he wants nothing more then having his unrequited love returned. (Minato x Kushina AU)


**Yuu: Alright then, let's get the prologue of this story going!**

_Leiko: We do not own Naruto / Shippuden, the characters, or anything in this!_

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Cursing under her breath, she stammered to her feet, brushing off her pants. Running without watching where she was going, she tripped over the tree's root, and had gone tumbling into the dirt. Her long red hair had come loose from her tie, and was covered in leaves and twigs. The expensive hunting shirt her father had purchased for her had turned an ugly shade of brown, no longer the brilliant white it once was.

She sighed as she readjusted her hair. She only wanted to reach the hunting grounds before him, not embarrass herself in such a way. Glancing around to see if anyone saw her, she continued on through the forest. That damned Kaze wasn't going to get the better of her if she could help it. Reaching into her pocket, she was relieved to find the bait hadn't been ruined by her fall.

"Kushina! Where'd you go?!"

Hearing _that boy's_ voice, she tensed up. It was coming from in front of her, towards their hunting area. How had he gotten there before her? She'd ran ahead of him, of that she was sure. He'd bested her again, hadn't he?! The prodigal son of the Namikaze clan, the boy who was destined to become king, _always_ had to make her look bad! It's as if he was born for it!

Hearing rustling in front of her, she straightened out her clothes, snapping herself out of her reverie. She tried to make herself look presentable, and as if nothing happened, before he came through the trees. Kushina rolled her eyes at the sight of him. Looking just like the perfect little prince, there wasn't a scratch on him.

His spiky blonde hair may have had some leaves in it, but otherwise he seemed perfectly clean, unlike her dirt covered outfit. His blue orbs eyed her before widening as he approached her. "What happened to you?!" He asked, looking over her muddy clothes. "Are you alright?!"

She scoffed at his attitude. Always acting like a gentleman. It's what gave him so many suitors at the young age of fourteen. That, and his stunning looks that would only intensify with age. "I just got a little dirty is all," she responded, straightening her back. She wouldn't openly admit she'd tripped over a stupid branch, which she was currently cursing out in her head.

He reached his hand out, brushing the leaves out of her hair with a surprising gentleness. "But you're not _hurt_, right?" He asked quietly. Irritated, she smacked his hand away. She didn't need him looking after her. She was perfectly capable of that herself.

"I'm fine, Kaze. I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't touch me so easily," she said harshly. He stepped back, lowering his head in a small bow, hiding his face from her view. "My apologies, Miss Kushina. I hadn't meant to overstep any boundaries." He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to her. Normally she'd reject it, but she would rather accept then be ridiculed by the others following them when they found her.

Muttering her thanks, she wiped her face clean of al filth. Minato smiled when she accepted his offering. What the hell was he so happy about? It was then it dawned on her. "Have you managed to kill any game yet?" She asked, eyeing him suspiciously. He nodded, pointing at the direction he'd come from.

"I found a buck at the stream," he said, tapping the bow that was strung around his shoulder. "Managed to get an arrow in it. The servants are tracking it down." Kushina wanted to scream at him for being _so_ damn perfect all the time! Of course he'd have the luck of one deer happening to cross his path! It was never her, always him!

"How'd you get ahead of me?" She questioned, the venom in her tone obvious to him. His expression became disheartened. "I stayed on my horse and rode ahead," he answered, and she wanted to slap herself for her stupidity. She'd gotten overly excited at the chance to finally beat him, she'd slipped off her horse and continued on foot.

She balled her hand into a tight fist, agitated at her obvious loss. Why had he always been better then her? She'd trained harder, longer, but could never win. Why did he have to be so naturally talented?! Where was the justice in that? Was it because he was a boy and she a girl? They were both heirs to their own kingdoms, why was there such a gap? One that she couldn't breach, no matter how hard she tried...

"Lord Namikaze!"

Hearing the servants calling him, Kushina turned to go. She didn't want to see everyone congratulate him. Seeing her leaving, Minato grabbed her arm, pulling her back toward him. "Won't you stay?" He asked, his eyes silently pleading with her. "I want to hunt with you some more..."

She ripped her arm from his grip. Tired of _always_ being second to him. "Why? So you can just show me up so I look a fool? I don't think so!" She whirled around to face him. "You've always done better then me, always been the perfect prince! And you know what?! I am sick of it! It and _you_, Minato! _I hate you_!" She yelled, running away before the tears came and he saw, before the swarm of people surrounded him, congratulating the kill.

He tried to get to her, but she was cut from view as the others surrounded him. He called her name, but she hadn't heard. Everything he'd done was for her, and she'd been taking it the wrong way all this time. He'd only ever been trying to impress her. Minato wanted to become the honorable prince so he could be with her; so her father would accept him as a suitor.

He'd known she was hot-headed and independent. That she didn't want help with anything for any reason. Kushina didn't want to be seen as weak because she was a girl, so she trained long and hard. He loved that about her, and didn't want to disappoint her, so he did too. And she thought he was showing her up to make her look bad. The injustice of it made him sick. She was all he ever wanted, and she hated him.

"Lord Minato?"

"What?!" He snapped at the servant. He was furious, and in no mood to fake a calm exterior. The servant flinched, not expecting the harsh tone. "Y-Your father has just sent word for you to return to the castle. Apparently there's urgent news he needs to discuss with you." Minato glared at the servant before rushing off to where his horse was.

It had better be more important than the issue with Kushina. Though he doubted anything could be...

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Kushina managed to find her way back to the horse, and headed back toward the castle. She was informed that her father wanted to speak with her immediately, but she knew he'd be furious if she showed up as is. Finally calming down after yelling at Minato, she decided to bath before heading to the meeting chambers.

But as she began to strip, she found Minato's handkerchief hanging from her pocket. She pulled it out, wanting to rip it up, or perhaps throw it into her fireplace. But when she tried, she just couldn't let it go. Realizing she'd been harsh on him in a fit of rage, she dipped it into the soapy water, washing away the dirt on it before she even bathed herself.

Seeing it was clear of filth, she went to hang it on her mantle to dry. Returning to the bathroom to finish bathing, she removed the tie from her hair, letting it fall to her shoulders as she stepped into the warm bath. Sinking into the comforting heat, she ran her fingers through her hair. She'd always hated the color of it. Her father often insisted that she was an illegitimate child, because neither he nor her mother had that red hair.

When she was younger, Kushina once tried to cut it all off when she was at a bank, only after covering it in a dark paste to hide the hideous color. But she ended up not going through with it... because Minato found her.

_- "What are you doing to your hair, Kushina?!" He exclaimed, kneeling down next to her. He grabbed the blade from her hand, and she reluctantly let go. Tears streamed down her face as she looked at her reflection in the water. "I hate it!" She cried, gripping it tightly in her hands, wanting to rip it out. "Everyone always stares at me! They say I'm not really daddy's daughter!"_

_Minato's eyes softened at her tears, and he cupped her hands in hers. When he did, the tension in her grip loosened. "Don't say that," he whispered gently. Just the sound of his voice had calmed her. "I... I've always loved the color of your hair," he said, pulling at her hands until she released her hair. He cupped water in his hands and poured in on her head, removing the paste while getting her wet in the process. _

_He ran his fingers through her hair, working out the knots and artificial darkness. "Do you love your father, Kushina?" He asked, and she nodded. "Then that's all that matters. Don't care about what the others say, alright?" She nodded once more and wiped the tears away with a cloth he handed her. She liked the way his hands worked through her hair... it calmed her down an incredible degree. _

_"Do... Do you really like my hair?" She asked, and he smiled at her. "I do," he said, causing her to grin. He felt his face heat up, thinking her smile was his favorite look on her. "Then I'll keep it," she said, tying it back into a braid. Noticing her slight shiver, Minato removed his coat and wrapped it around her. "I'll take you back home," he said, holding her hand as he led her to the castle. -_

Sighing, Kushina pulled herself out of her memory when she heard a knock at the door. "His Majesty requests your presence, Highness," she heard the servant say. Grunting a 'fine' in response, she grabbed the handle and hoisted herself up. Wrapping a towel around herself, she headed into her bedroom to change into something more formal.

Roughly drying her hair and body as best she could, she decided to wear the dress her dad had bought for her on her last birthday. She took a few minutes to dress herself and do her hair before preparing to leave. But before she left, she grabbed the handkerchief hanging above the fire. When she looked at it again, she realized it was the same one he used during the hair incident as kids.

He'd kept it all these years? Shaking her head, she left her room and headed for the chambers, escorted by the king's guard. Slipping the cloth into her waist band, she pushed the chamber doors open and stepped inside. Kushina glanced around the large room, each pillar decorated in purple cloth. Weapons of every kind were strung up on the walls, only overshadowed by the large throne at the end of the hall.

But what stood out most to her was the large crowd gathered in the center. While her father sat in the throne, her's empty, groups of nobles were scattered across the floor, speaking in hushed whispers. Working her way to her father, she curtsied before taking her seat beside him on the left. The only throne left unaccompanied was the on to the right of the king, which belonged to her deceased mother.

"Where were you," he whispered, leaning toward her. She rolled her eyes at his forgetfulness. "I had hunting today father," she responded, seeing the nobles had begun to take seats. He sighed as he shook his head, leaning back into his seat. "We'll talk about that later," he said, before standing to address the court.

"You all must be wondering why I gathered you here today," he said, stepping down from his raised platform. "It pains me to say that we are not here under peaceful circumstances." The room went quiet at this, and Kushina narrowed her eyes at her father. She hadn't heard anything about tensions with other kingdoms.

"Though we have been allies for many years, times have changed. Differences in opinions are causing rips in our current treaties. Ideas on the way the kingdoms should be ruled are differing... I'm afraid war may be upon us." Kushina shot up from her throne, eyeing her father. "I have heard not of this before. Who is it we are fighting with?" She questioned.

He father glared at her before answering. "You have not heard of this before because you are young, inexperienced... and a _woman_," he added, starting a tick in Kushina's jaw. "If you truly wish to know, it is the Namikaze's we are feuding with." A lump formed in her throat. _Kaze? _But their kingdoms have been friends for years!

"I saw their heir only a few short hours ago," she said. "He showed no indication of knowing this!" She exclaimed, angry at her father for keeping this from her. Though Minato pissed her off, always out did her, and was the ideal heir, they were still childhood friends. She did not wish to go to war with him.

"This has nothing to do with the two of you," her father responded. "It is between us rulers. And from now on, you will _not_ see that boy! We _will_ be going to war. The Namikaze's are now our enemies..." He turned back to the nobles. "Assemble our army and our ambassadors! We shall draw up a declaration! By this time next week, we shall be at war!" A cheer went up in the hall, making her feel sick.

Kushina gripped her hands hard enough to draw blood. Though she considered Minato a rival before... they were now truly enemies.

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**Yuu: Kinda rushed it at the end, but the prologue is outta the way! I think the next chapter will cover the war and what becomes of Minato and Kushina afterwards. **

Kyo: This is her first MinaKushi fic and first non-yaoi fic so this should be interesting!

**Yuu: But I _really_ love this ship so... yeah. Anyway, please review! I wanna know who's interested in this!**


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